Chestnut Hair Entwined in Frost

1. Their First Meeting Beneath the Rose Arbor, Thorns Already Hidden in Their Sleeves

Young Xie Heng pressed a wooden comb carved with roses into Zhaohua's palm. Amid the flower shadows in the Grand Tutor's residence, their chestnut hair tangled in the wind.

2. Love Takes Root, Suspicions Rise, and Sincere Hearts Are Mistaken for False Moves

On their wedding night, red candles reflected in Xie Heng's ink-dark hair. Behind his deliberate coldness, he was biting through his silver teeth as his addiction flared. The jade hairpin Zhaohua smashed sliced open his sleeve. On his scar-covered arm was a serpent-shaped birthmark identical to hers.

3. Blood on the Stone Steps, the Mystery Unraveled, Two Hearts Laid Bare in the Mirror

An arrow shot through a sleeve at the investiture ceremony. Hidden in its rose-patterned head was a peace charm Xie Heng had obtained by enduring his addiction.

4. Dust Settles, Turmoil Ends, Old Thorns Give Way to New Blossoms

In a field of flowers in Jiangnan, three-colored twin lotuses bloomed beneath the morning dew. In the dewdrops at their centers were reflected two elderly people with chestnut hair and a group of children reading the Analects. Beneath the eaves, the wind chime still sang: "Roses have thorns, but they also have fragrance; hearts may hold resentment, but they also hold light."

This novel and its characters are entirely fictional. Any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental. Do not imitate.